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"Exactly, Hon," Mal says, following his uncontrolable desire to immediately do anything he was told not to. "Nice to meet you, Drifter, Khal. And I'm Mal. Steelcutter. They just bring me along for my personality and sparkling intellect.
Yeah, we were told about you guys, and we're all tickled pink that y'all are out now, but our main goal is about something still inside this place.
Honey, go ahead and see what their system can tell ya. These guys are chill."
"I'm Tavin," Tavin says in introduction as he moves over to assist Honey. "Any of you have any computer skills?"
For a moment, it seems that Honey's actually having some trouble with the local firewalls. When Tavin moves in to provide his own assistance, she nods her head in appriciation.
Honey and Tavin collaborate to bring up the security system for the Tower. Unfortunately, there appears to be no hardwire connection above the ground floor of the building, although you are able to pull a list of major functions by floor. The ground floor contains an office block for Accounting and low-level administration, as well as the headquarters for the Davika Enforcers. You have security camera access to the Atrium, West Entrance, and the Office Block, and the two Elevators.
The second floor is contains the Labs. You can communicate with them verbally but cannot see the schematics or security cameras. You also see that there is another Guard station on that floor. The third and fourth floors of the tower contain upper-level management suites, conference rooms, and a Communications hub. The fifth (top) floor of the building contains a single large hangar.
One thing you can do from this station is operate the elevators. Honey and Tavin believe they can override security protocols to allow you to pass between levels, or to restrict others from doing so. Of course, the primary power system for the building routes through the HVAC systems in Maintenance here in the basement.
Finally, you realize that the small room in the northwest of the security hub you are currently in is actually a stairway into the Enforcers HQ.
"So you have a map of the place. Where do we need to go and what is our objective when we get there?" Drifter asks as he watches Honey and Tavin working.
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"There! The lab!" Mal shouts in triumph as the map starts to make sense. "We're looking to make the empire think that crystals are bad at doing crystal-y things, yeah?" Mal explains, using the hardest scientific lingo he can conjure.
"So wouldn't the best place to do that be in the place where they are trying to determine of the crystals can do the things crystals can do?" he asks, with a straight face.
"We did a good job of not letting any alarms get out. I don't see why we can't just grab the droid and try the same trick that got us this far."
"Seems like as good a plan as any. As Mal said, we're on a mission from a certain subset of people to undermine a vastly far larger subset of people. We'll give you more details as they're needed. For now, let's make sure these kaiser crystals aren't getting off-world."
Honey approaches Belfore, straightening herself up to look the role of a proper administrator. "Security in this sector seems to be compromised, we need to move to this area of the facility to make sure things are intact. BL-4, I'll need you to accompany us as we investigate."
Drifter looks at the schematics. "If the HQ opens up into here, maybe we should do something about that door to make it harder for them to get into here."
"Of course, administrator," Belfore replies.
Drifter checks the stair up to the next level and quickly realizes it continues upward along the spine of the building. The door to the stair appears to lock automatically and requires a key to enter from inside the stairwell. With a little teamwork you learn that the key you now have opens at least the door to this level.
"Honey, when you were looking through the system did you pick up anything transports currently in the Hangar? If things go sideways when we hit the labs it might be an exit for us. But it would require us to go through management." Drifter says as he looks over the schematics.
Khal looks around nervously. This is so outside his wheelhouse that the only way he knows to get through this is headfirst with a smile. ”Can we get other uniforms for the rest of us? That way Honey can focus on the systems and I can distract them.”
"well, we'll see what happens when I see the lock in person. I'm reasonably confident in my ability however. In regards to our means of escape, we do have a standing offer with a ship already docked, but... It won't hurt to take a look and see if I can find anything in the Hangar. One momment."
The cyborg moves back over to the console, fiddling with things in hopes she might get some access to the camera feeds for either the Hangar or anywhere else for that matter.
"Agh... I'm having trouble finding the right file directory. Who designed this system..."
Despite uncharacteristic clumsiness at the computer console, Honey ascertains that the rumored patrol vessel you've all heard about is in fact a custom-built Gozanti light cruiser with the unimaginative designation, DGL-125. Basic information may be gleaned from the hangar manifest: DGL-125 appears to be specifically designed to intercept and eradicate pirate freighters, being smaller and more maneuverable than standard vessels in its class. It gains a ventral dual laser turret to compliment the pair of dorsal turrets and sacrifices the fighter docking ports. It can also serve as a light freighter with a capacity of sixty tonnes, crews five to fifteen, and supports as many as 45 armored troops.
It rests in the hangar now.
"So that's a possible exit if we can get it moving. It also may hide why we are here if the main goal is supposed to be a secret. At this point we are not getting out without being noticed. If they know we are falsifying data they may ignore what we do." Drifter says. After a moment Drifter shrugs and says, "Or we can just blow the ship up and make them think we were just out to stop their interceptor from ever flying again."
"Personally, having ridden in that thing our prior escort called a ship, I'd prefer theft." Honey voiced.
"Well, considering they showed up, shot and arrested me before I did anything of note, I am all in for some payback. And a new ship might be good for that." Drifter says.
"If the ship is our exit plan, we should be ready to exit when we get there." Drifter shrugs as he shares his opinion. "That would make the lab the place to go. And we are closer to it anyway."
Drifter and Khal quickly raid the laundry and outfit themselves accordingly. The group reconvenes in the security hub and needs to decide the way to proceed up the Tower.
"The elevator is the easiest way, but they likely have surveillance on it and other people will be using it who won't recognize us. So we will need some smooth talking to take that route. The stairs will draw less attention going up, but getting in and out of the stair well will require some stealth if we want to be unseen." Drifter says as he looks over the two options. He pauses for a second and says, "I would be a bit better off trying the stairs, but with your robot plan maybe we have a good enough face to use the elevators."
Honey nodded on agreement with the Drifter. "I'll be the first to ad it I'm not quite optimized for stealthy insertions. Work best with a group that knows how to provide good cover one way or the other. Mal, you've got a knack for this. To me currently look mostly like a security escort for a lone systems admin and her droid. What are your own thoughts?"
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Mal contemplates, then finally nods at Honey before addressing Drifter. "Yeah, our ruse worked well enough so that I would have more faith in one of our's ability to deceive with our tongues than for the whole of us to deceive with our steps. So too, we must needs stick together. A strong force can turn a losing position into a winning won, but two smaller forces are but booty for the first obstacle to come along.
Let us to the elevator. Honey, us the droid ready?"
With some time and no pressure, and assistance from Tavin, Honey reconfigures both the lock and key to the Security Hub, so that only you may access it from the stairwell. This is primarily an electrical exercise, altering the amplitude and frequency of the field at both points. Hacking a different lock with the key that you have would also require a mechanical reconfiguration of the key pins. This doesn't involve any machining - all possible pin combinations are built into every key for this series of locks. It's just a matter of hacking the lock first, then hacking the key so that you can complete the circuit.
Disabling the residual countermeasures from the security alert takes next to no time at all, and the elevator is called to your sublevel. Belfore has a congenial aire about it, operating almost as if a bellhop program was hidden in its original factory assemblage. "Going up," it chirps.
Drifter tugs at the neck of his uniform and then moves his hand near his gun for when this goes sideways.
Khal smoothes down his uniform having put his items in a tool case. ”So who are we to be to avoid suspicion?”. He puts on the cap raising himself up with a supposed air of authority.
Belfore turns to Khal. "You are with the Administrator!" it replies indignantly while pointing at Honey. "What an odd question." It's becoming clear that Belfore spends a lot of time alone, probably muttering to itself.
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"Idunno I'm making this up as I go," Mal breathes steadily, slamming a fresh clip into his blaster before stowing it back in its hidden holster.
"Well, we're supposed to change data that says that the crystals are good, so it says that the crystals are bad. Seems to me that the easiest way to do that would be to say that certain 'inconsistencies' have popped up and we need to makes sure that the data is honest.
At least those are the words that we say to get us to a computer terminal. Then we hrmmmm and ahhhhh and Honey corrupts the data and we all leave and drink heavily.
How's that?"
The lift arrives at Davika Tower's second floor, and as soon as the glowing phase shield goes down you feel the rush of wind against your faces. The constant thrum of the HVAC units in the sublevel force sterile air throughout the building. It has a particular odor more commonly found in top-tier medical facilities on Core worlds.
Passing through this transition, you step into a wide corridor that connects to a stair at the far wall to the north. Immediately to your right, a large pane of glass overlooks the Atrium and the few people milling about below. You quickly realize it is mid-day, and a few of the associates of Davika Mining Corporation who were unlucky enough to be stationed on Red Barren are quietly consuming a meal.
The short battle with the guards in the bowels of the Tower is still fresh, and you were encouraged by Mal's ferocity, Honey's alacrity hacking the secure console, Khal's wit, and Drifter's steely countenance. And of course Tavin was key to bypassing the sensors, and Dartel is your ticket off this rock.
The corridor is quiet, but the hum of another force field draws your attention to the left, and the guard station within. As you approach, the field dissipates and you are allowed entry. Central within the square room sits a large circular console, and seated within the console are a trio of disinterested-looking guards. They hardly pay you any attention until first the maintenance droid and then Honey catches the eye of one of them.
"Mmma'am," he says while grappling with pronouns. The other guards turn to observe your group. There's an excessive awkward pause.
"Sir." She speaks dryly, leveling every inch of her unimpressed gaze at the socially confused guardsman. So what if her bulky engineer's outfit hit what little curves she might've had, and so what if underneath her face-gear a large portion of her lower jaw was distinctly squarer then it used to be? Yes, maybe she's had to make a few sacrifices along the way, but there was no changing the fact she was and always would be woman.
Not that she let this bother her right now, of course.
There were more important matters. "We're taking this one upstairs." Honey plainly states, skipping out on the purpose to let them fill out the blanks. Or more aptly, to let someone more qualified in fibbing to do so.
Khal waits for the reaction and holds himself taut thanks to the practice of duelling. He has made certain that he has what appear to be the appropriate medals etc to step in if need be and deflect.
Khal sees the guard waver and tries to get him back in place. ”Now faltering over how to address a superior officer is not the way to act. Whilst you sort out letting us through I want your designation. NOW.”
"Well, I... You must be that new team we were told about," says the guard, stumbling with his words and looking back to his fellows for reinforcement.
"Oh yeah," says another one while shaking his head.
"We just need to follow protocols," says the third. "We meant no disrespect, sir. And ma'am."
The first guard addresses the console and a few seconds later produces a pen-shaped security key. He offers it to Khal with a tight-lipped half smile. "I can't authorize you through to the Lab, but this will get you around to the next station. Please make use of the facilities before entering the clean rooms." He's almost cheerful, perhaps happy to have you moving on.
A placard on the wall beside the security port by the forcefield leading south reads, MATERIALS PROCESSING The font is plain bold and self-important, which seems to go with the territory in Davika Tower. So far, at least, the staff is rather inept; one wonders at the quality of employee willing to work on this dustball planet in the armpit of the galaxy.
As you access the room to the south you see a pair of technicians organizing a fleet of wheelbarrows into the alcove on the east end of the room behind the elevator well. They look up as you enter but seem unimpressed and continue with their work. The rest of the room is lined floor to ceiling by shelves steeped with various analog and electronic tools; you see hammers and chisels, awls, drills, and saws of all types and sizes. In the center of the room is a chute about one meter wide, with a switchbox on the side. The unusual amount of contaminant matter in and around the chute suggest it is a refuse for waste rocks and other debris.
Along the wall immediately to your left as you enter is a console and screen with a standard keypad and i/o jack. The controls and screen are smattered with red dust.
Translucent forcefields lead to adjoining rooms west and south.
Before you have a chance to move through the room, one of the wheelbarrows bangs against a nearby shelf, toppling its contents of tools and small machinery on the floor.
"Blast it!" one tech curses.
"No--" grumbles the other. "We're not going to make the shift change now."
"You can finish here and I'll go down. I promise I'll bring back food," says the first.
"This is your mess! I'll go."
"Fine. I heard Toyvar was getting take-out from the Red Diamond. I'll take anything."
"Yeah, sure," responds the second tech with a wry grin. He cleans his hands with a towel, tosses it into the chute, and exits through the south doorway.
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"Let me help you with that my man," Mal quips quickly as he bends to aid the butter-fingered aide pick up his dropped tools.
"Hey, I'm with the team calibrating the droid, and we're not on as tight a schedule as you guys," he says with a impish grin. "Why don't you go on ahead. I'll get this one this time."
The remaining techs curses under his breath, then looks back to all of you. "Say, that's a maintenance droid. Would you mind setting it to cleaning up this mess? I'll buy you lunch."
Honey's head moves almost impercepbtly at what she sees, before focusing more on the techie. "This would be a good chance to text it's capabilities, but, hmm..."
"Great!" the tech exclaims before Honey can finish saying no. "I'll find you in an hour!" Then he runs after his coworker through the doorway into the showers.
She's silent for a moment before shaking her head in dismissal. "This is honestly a touch bit pathetic. Give me a moment here."
Taking the security key, she moves over to the console and starts jacking in to adjust things to their needs. This was an opportunity she just wasn't going to let slip.
The console appears to have a primary purpose of logging whatever raw materials are on the way to the lab and also maintains an inventory of tools and preliminary cleaning and processing efforts. It's incredibly boring. It doesn't help that the air in the room, though constantly cycling through the main filtering system which Belfore maintains, is nevertheless tinged with the Red Barren atmospheric dust.
At first, the idea of reprogramming the key seems like a long shot. You know, of course, that there is a mechanical component that a security hack cannot fully account for. As it happens, the console is hard-linked throughout the floor, contributing to a common location for security logging. Bridging from the usage log share to the larger Security protocol store takes all of Honey's considerable skill. At last, she believes she has added the appropriate electronic signatures to access the remaining areas on this floor. There's only one way to find out if the key will actually fit in the next port.